My Youth Began With Him - Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"Huo Mian, you don't need to say any more . It's been decided, so just do as you're told . This is a task assigned to you by the hospital . If the official recovers well after the surgery, I will reward everyone involved with the procedure with bonuses and honors . "

Against his expectations, Huo Mian shook her head and stood up . "Director, I don't need awards and honors," she said, "I just don't think I can accomplish this task . I apologize, but I cannot accept this . "

"You are really a stubborn child, aren't you?" The director's voice carried a hint of dejection .

"Director, I'm only telling the truth as I see it . This surgery is far too important . If this were delivering a child or something of that nature, I might have been able to help . But with a neurosurgical procedure, I may just be a hindrance to the team . I suggest you find someone more suited for the task . "

With that, Huo Mian stood up and headed towards the door . She wasn't about to catch this hot potato .

She was really questioning the director's sanity at this point . The First Hospital had hundreds of outstanding nurses, so why did he have to pick her, an intern from the OB/GYN department, to serve as the scrub nurse for such an important operation? It was laughable, really .

Just as Huo Mian made it to the door and was about to open it, the director's voice sounded again .

"Huo Mian . The truth is, I'm not the one who decided that you should be the scrub nurse for this surgery . The attending neurosurgeon handling this case personally asked for you . "

"The attending neurosurgeon asked for me?" Huo Mian turned around in disbelief .

 
"That's right . The attending neurosurgeon has an odd temper and was even more difficult to invite . It took a lot of effort for us to convince him to perform this surgery, but he had only one request - that you be the scrub nurse . Otherwise, he won't perform the surgery . You should know that there's a life at stake here . The bigwig official is still at our hospital . If anything were to happen to him… it wouldn't just affect you and me . The entire hospital will be crippled from the repercussions . "

"But…" Huo Mian was dumbstruck . "I don't know any attending surgeons . Did he get the name wrong? Are there any other nurses with the same name as me at our hospital?"

"No . You're the only one called Huo Mian . I wouldn't get that wrong . "

"But…" Huo Mian was still somewhat reluctant .

"Huo Mian, stop saying 'but', we have no time to waste . The surgery will commence three hours from now, and you need to be in the OR in an hour to begin prepping . You'll also need to meet with the other team members . "

"Director…"

 
"Huo Mian, this is an order . You must accept it . " Director Wu was getting impatient . His face fell, and his demeanor took on a forceful edge .

Huo Mian fell silent .

She wondered if she would seem overly inconsiderate if she were to resign right now . However, if the surgery were to fail and the official kicked the bucket, wouldn't she be just as doomed?

Huo Mian felt like crying . She should have known that being summoned by the director himself all of a sudden couldn't have possibly been good news .

After a moment of silence, Huo Mian finally nodded .

"That's great . Then you should go prepare now . Be at the Neurosurgery Department's VIP OR on the top floor in an hour . "

"Okay . " Huo Mian nodded again .

Walking out of the director's office, Huo Mian's mind was a mess of emotions .

When she returned to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, she saw the head nurse waiting there for her with several other nurses . It was quite the welcoming committee .

"Huo Mian, the director already called me and roughly explained the situation . Hurry, go change, and then perform a full-body sterilization . When you're done, I'll ask someone to escort you up to the operation room on the top floor . "

"Uh… Head Nurse, it's alright . I can go by myself . " Huo Mian was unaccustomed to special treatment .

"No, you can't . This is an extremely important task and you must do a good job . "

"Miss Huo, you're so lucky! I heard that the attending neurosurgeon personally asked for you . "

"I don't know what's going on as well . "

"The attending surgeon isn't a friend of yours, is he? How come nothing as good as this ever happens to the rest of us?" several of the younger nurses whined incessantly .

"Uh… I don't know any attendings," Huo Mian replied in the negative .

"Enough, stop talking, all of you . Hurry up and get ready, Huo Mian . I have to remind you that, while it is a good thing that the director trusts you with this task, if you mess this up, the consequence wouldn't be as simple as just getting fired . You know how important this patient is, right?" The head nurse's words were sharp and to the point .

Huo Mian gave a little nod and replied, "I know . If it fails, my life might be over too . "

As she finished her sentence, the younger nurses all went pale .

"Now, do you still think Huo Mian is lucky?" the head nurse asked with a darkened expression . "Any of you still want to take her place?"